Geoheritage as a Tool for Environmental Education: Towards the Development of Sustainable Geotourism in Algeria – The Case of Tassili N’Ajjer
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.5122Keywords:
Geo-heritage, Environmental Education, Sustainable Geo-tourism, Algeria, Tassili N’AjjerAbstract
The spectacular Tassili N'Ajjer plateau, along with many other geological features in Algeria, has significant unexploited geo-tourism and environmental learning values when they are scientifically incorporated into the school curriculum and packaged for travel. This study investigates (a) views of the geo-heritage of the country among Earth science students and academics in two universities and (b) how knowledge can lead to more sustainable tourism. In 2025, a structured questionnaire was distributed to a total of 500 (questionnaire with Google Forms) students at Houari Boumediene University of Science and Technology in the City of Algiers and Ziane Achour University of Djelfa, as well as 80 faculty members. Instruments such as descriptive statistics and comparative frequency tables yielded discriminations of degrees of awareness, attitudes, and constraints about the mainstreaming of geo-heritage in curricula and the tourism industry. Interest among students was high, but formal instruction in geo-heritage received low formal attention. The faculty were broadly enthusiastic to integrate relevant teaching but felt that institutions failed to prioritize and support it. They all considered the magnificent Tassili N'Ajjer as the perfect "location" for a research visit and an educational tour, given its colossal geological and cultural importance. Educational investment in its geological heritage could further optimize geo-tourism potential in Algeria, being consistent with sustainable development, and could feed environmental education activities. There are plenty of wondrous geosites in the country that deserve enhanced visibility, which would also result in more informed and responsible tourism.
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